Hanslow

Anyone used these to tune their diesel? If so, what are your thoughts / opinions?

carl

Sounds like the Tuningbox but more expensive?

Hanslow

Tuningbox?

logiclee

Just a digital tuning box.

Would be just as well getting one from www.mrhoot.com or off ebay.

Cheers
Lee

carl

www.tuningbox.com -- seems to be well-respected in the BMW fraternity.

mart360

There is another company who will do an ecu remap via the obd port,

have got quite a good reputation apparantly, i will dig out the link and post it..

prices are comparible to the box from what i can remeber
Mart

brickboy

What diesel do you have? Tuning options boil down to these two:

1) Tuning box / plug in module. Latest ones are supposed to be pretty good & reliable if bought from a reputable company (van Aaken / East Coast / Tunit etc) and have the advantage that you can remove the box / sell it on when you change cars. Cost anywhere from £300 to £500.

If you have a VAG PD diesel you can get a cheap-as-chips module (about £20) which plugs into the fuel temp sensor and slightly increases fuelling across the rev range, giving a mild increase (around 5-10bhp). On 04 and 05 models these can throw a "check engine" light though.

2) Remap via OBD port from AmD, Jabba, Revo, Allard, Superchips etc. These can often be custom-made for your requirements but obviously stay with the car and can't be sold on. Cost £400 - £500.

Hanslow

No diesel at the moment but thinking about getting a Mazda 6 which appears to have virtually no diesel tuning options

brickboy

Might be talking out of my **** here but isn't the Mazda 6 diesel engine the new Ford / Peugeot / Volvo TDCi lump?

Also, the new ones have 145 bhp and 265ft-lb of torque so they're not exactly short of grunt either

Hanslow

The one I'm off to look at is the 136bhp one. Dunno if it's common and shared across the range or not.

brickboy

OK -- still got 230 ft-lb of torque which ain't too shabby

Hanslow

I'm just keeping my options open

brickboy

For what it's worth, I've had a Passat PD130 for nearly 3 years. Sometimes I think I might get a tuning box ... but then I'll be on a long run, open it up to get past a queue on the motorway or overtake on an A-road and I think, it goes pretty well really.

These modern diesels are so easy to potter around in at town speeds that you forget they can be pretty rapid when you boot it

Hanslow

Well I'll hopefully be getting a test drive at the weekend so I'll see then Sounds like I might not need it though Thanks for the info

Prefer the looks of the Mazda, but also considering a Mondeo and Octavia. On paper don't think there is a lot between them (but happy to be proven wrong ). Only thing that's slightly putting me off about the 6 is that it would appear that you can't change the stereo at all for a third party one (which I'd like to keep from my old car)

Just want a comfortable economic barge really that's cheap(ish) to run....

brickboy

A bit more info -- the Mazda motor is NOT the Ford / PSA lump.

From road test data the Mondy TDCi is quicker (if it's the 130bhp motor, they also do a lower-power version), the engine is nice and you can't knock the handling, they really are nice to drive.

The VAG PD130 motor (the high-torque version that you only get with the 6-speed manual box) has the most in-gear punch but its best mate wouldn't call it quiet or refined ... they get better when they're run in (i.e. 20,000+ miles ) and they are quiet when cruising, but at idle and when accelerating you know it's an oil burner.

I've had an average of 48mpg (real figures, not from the trip computer) from the Passat since new (done 35K miles). Saves me about a grand a year in company car tax and fuel compared with a petrol.

Now that the new model Passat's come in, the previous models are getting cheaper.

Hanslow

Ta for that

My dad's got an Octavia, although I think it's a 90bhp one. Seemed fine to drive but a bit floaty (if you know what I mean?).

Still keeping options open and I need to know what dealer will give me for my current motor to really assess budget. Doing it mainly to free up some cash (as my car is worth more than what I'm looking at) so that I can get a fun car and a daily runner. Still want something relatively new (within 3 years) but won't guzzle fuel, breakdown or refuse to start. Not a badge snob so no issues there

Can't do without a car so unfortunately easiest option is to trade mine in for a car + cash. I know I won't get the best deal, but it's easiest and I really can't be arsed with the hassle of advertising, getting tyre kickers and finding out I've inherited billions from some kind soul in Nigeria

Engine noise isn't an issue either

brickboy

Fair enough -- in that case, I'd narrow the search to whatever dealer is within easy reach for servicing, parts etc.

When choosing my company wheels, I tested Passat PD130 Sport, Mondeo TDCi, Laguna 2.2 dCi and I've since driven an A4 PD130.

Best car for handling and enjoying was the Mondeo, good punchy motor. Didn't like the interior though. Laguna I didn't get on with at all, didn't feel anything like as quick as the Ford or VW and the interior is 'orrible. Passat handling is, er, "safe" but the PD motor, extra interior space and all the toys swung it for me. Worth getting the Sport option as the lowered suspension means it doesn't float about and still gives a decent ride.

A4 is the same as the Passat but smaller inside and with a different badge

I think some of the very last old-shape Octavias got the PD130 motor and would be well worth a look. Don't overlook the older 110bhp diesel either as it's a good economical motor and tuning options are pretty cheap -- about £300 for a remap or tuning box to a reliable 130bhp and 220 ft-lb of torque -- which would be paid for by the lower initial purchase price.

mart360

Fords, 1.6 tdci is a gutless boring lump..

now the 2.0 tdci fitted to the cmax (6 speed box) is a licence looser if ever there was one.... major turbo boost!! bloody thing cruises at 80 at aprox 1500rpm

and to cap it all it still returns an av 60mpg


Mart

logiclee

Yep some of the last Octavia's had the PD130 and 6 speed box.

The 90/110TDi's still hold the record as the most thermally eficient engine fitted to a production roadcar. At a 50-70mph A road run high 60's mpg are easy. Even round town you struggle to get less than 45mpg, no wonder the Taxi drivers love them.

The 110TDI will push 140bhp with a good tuning box and there are a few Jabba remapped Octavias over on Briskoda pushing 160bhp with some breathing mods.

I have a 110bhp Octavia Elegance that may or may not have been messed with.
It's back to standard at the moment as it's been in the dealers for new ARB bushes. It's like someone has put a brick under the accelerator pedal. Overtook a lorry yesterday and nearly killed myself.

Cheers
Lee

brickboy

Lee -- what may (or may not) have been done to your engine, without your knowledge?

carl

I don't have much experience of diesels, but my personal experience has been that the BMW 2.0d lump is far more refined than the Mondeo TDCi engine.

mart360

yes its more refined, but at petrol mpg..

a guy at work had one, av mpg 35 for a diesel!!!


£50 every 10 days

M

logiclee

Nothing at all.

Especially as my car has logiclee, scoobynet and briskoda stickers on the car and is currently having warranty work done.

I do know that the boys over at Jabbasport do some fine remaps that work well with a free flowing air filter though.

Cheers
Lee

brickboy

Wonder how a remapped diesel Octavia with vRS suspension would go? Just a thought ...

logiclee

A certain Mr TaviaRS has a nice 1.9SDI (Badged) Octavia. The total mods are unknown but think along the lines of 1.9PD130 with bigger turbo, FMIC, injectors, custom ECU, 240bhp, coilovers, big brake conversion etc and I'm sure you will be somewhere close.

He even made a Scooby magazines as he was overtaking STi's on track.

Before...



After ..




Cheers
Lee

carl

I thought TaviavRS had a vRS (hence the name), so actually a 1.8T petrol?

logiclee

No, he sold that a while back and got a PD130 Diesel.

Cheers
Lee

brickboy

Sweet